苹果起诉OpenAI涉嫌窃取硬件机密

苹果已起诉OpenAI，指控工程师窃取苹果机密以推进这家AI初创公司的硬件计划。在诉状中，苹果表示发现了“此前在苹果工作过的OpenAI员工存在窃取苹果商业机密的模式”。除OpenAI外，起诉对象还包括Jony Ive的硬件初创公司IO Products——OpenAI于2025年收购了该公司——以及两名具体员工：Tang Tan（OpenAI首席硬件官）和Chang Liu（今年1月从苹果跳槽至OpenAI）。

苹果一位发言人向_9to5Mac_分享了如下声明：

在苹果，我们的团队不断研发突破性技术，以创造世界上最好的产品和服务，保护他们的工作成果和知识产权是我们极为重视的。近期出现重大证据表明，受雇于OpenAI的个人员工不当获取了苹果关于未发布技术、流程和产品的秘密与机密信息。我们将始终捍卫我们团队的辛勤劳动与创新成果，并正在采取一切适当措施。

OpenAI的Drew Pusateri告诉_The Verge_：“我们对其他公司的商业机密毫无兴趣。我们依然专注于打造能够普惠全球的创新技术。”苹果未立即回应_The Verge_的置评请求。

刘被指控在离开苹果后仍访问其系统并下载信息，包括“数十份苹果机密硬件相关文件，内含大量关于未发布产品的详细信息、工程演示文稿、技术规格与专有项目数据”。另据称，他曾指示一位前苹果同事如何拷贝苹果机密文件，并在她入职OpenAI前如何“避免”被公司安全团队“找麻烦”。刘据称告诉她应通过Line Messenger沟通以防被探测到。

苹果称：“刘先生对其合同的实质性违反同样清晰且蓄意：在雇佣关系结束后，他访问、拷贝并指使他人披露苹果机密信息，直接违反了其离职后的义务。”

这是一场系统性获取、留存和利用苹果商业机密以帮助OpenAI的行动。

苹果指控Tan“系统性地利用苹果机密信息为OpenAI谋利”，包括在离职前将苹果供应商信息通过邮件发送给自己，并在面试苹果员工以招聘到OpenAI时索要苹果机密信息。

据诉状，OpenAI还曾告知苹果员工在面试时携带“CAD/设计成品”和“原型”等物品。苹果称：“这是一场系统性获取、留存和利用苹果商业机密，以帮助OpenAI试图复制苹果耗费数十年在消费硬件业务中积累的秘密技术、商业流程和供应链创新的行动。”

苹果指控OpenAI还“直接瞄准了苹果宝贵的合作伙伴网络和供应链”，包括让一家与苹果在工业设计和金属表面处理技术上有合作的伙伴“为OpenAI的利益执行苹果的专有、商业机密工艺”。

苹果声称目前有超过400名前苹果员工在OpenAI任职。该公司指责OpenAI建议离职的苹果员工，一旦苹果方面有人“要求你签署任何文件”就通知OpenAI。

苹果表示已在今年二月联系OpenAI表达关切，并要求OpenAI说明采取了哪些措施来调查该问题。苹果称：“OpenAI始终未予回应。”

OpenAI的首款硬件产品预计于明年面世。苹果在诉讼中对OpenAI能否顺利出货提出质疑——至少在不依赖苹果成果的情况下。“OpenAI新生的硬件业务如今建立在最不稳固的基础之上，”诉状写道，“其非法依赖被挪用的商业机密，使其核心从根上已经腐烂。”

更新，7月10日：增加了OpenAI的声明。

Apple has sued OpenAI, alleging that engineers stole Apple secrets to advance the AI startup’s hardware plans. In its complaint, Apple says it uncovered “a pattern of theft of Apple’s trade secrets by OpenAI employees who were formerly at Apple.” In addition to OpenAI, the lawsuit also names IO Products — Jony Ive’s hardware startup, which OpenAI bought in 2025 — along with two specific employees, Tang Tan (OpenAI’s chief hardware officer) and Chang Liu (who joined OpenAI from Apple in January).

An Apple spokesperson shared this statement with 9to5Mac:

At Apple, our teams are constantly developing breakthrough technologies to create the best products and services in the world, and protecting their work and intellectual property is something we take very seriously. Recently, significant evidence has emerged suggesting individuals employed by OpenAI wrongfully took Apple’s secret and confidential information regarding our unreleased technologies, processes, and products. We will always defend our teams’ hard work and innovations, and we are taking all appropriate steps to do so.

OpenAI’s Drew Pusateri tells The Verge that “We have no interest in other companies’ trade secrets. We remain focused on building innovative technology that empowers people everywhere.” Apple didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment from The Verge.

Liu is accused of accessing Apple’s systems after leaving the company and downloading information, including “dozens of Apple’s confidential hardware-related files, including voluminous, detailed information about unreleased products, engineering presentations, technical specifications, and proprietary project data.” He is also said to have instructed a former Apple colleague on how to copy confidential Apple files and “avoid trouble” with the company’s security team ahead of her joining OpenAI. Liu allegedly told her they should communicate over Line Messenger to avoid being detected.

“Mr. Liu’s material breaches of his contract are equally clear and deliberate: he accessed, copied, and directed the disclosure of Apple Confidential Information after his employment ended, in direct violation of his post-termination obligations,” Apple says.

“This is a systematic effort to acquire, retain, and use Apple’s trade secrets to help OpenAI”

Apple alleges that Tan has been “methodically using Apple’s confidential information to benefit OpenAI,” including emailing information to himself about Apple suppliers before leaving the company and asking for confidential Apple information when interviewing Apple employees for OpenAI jobs.

OpenAI has also told Apple staffers to bring things like “CAD/design artifacts” and “prototypes” to interviews, according to the suit. “This is a systematic effort to acquire, retain, and use Apple’s trade secrets to help OpenAI try to replicate the secret technologies, business processes, and supply chain innovations that took Apple decades to build in its consumer hardware business,” Apple says.

Apple alleges that OpenAI has also been “targeting Apple’s prized partner network and supply chain directly,” including having an Apple partner, which works with Apple on industrial design and metal-finishing techniques, “perform Apple’s proprietary, trade secret processes for OpenAI’s benefit.”

More than 400 former Apple staffers now work at OpenAI, Apple claims. The company accuses OpenAI of advising Apple staffers that are departing to let OpenAI know if Apple personnel “ask you to sign anything.”

Apple says it reached out to OpenAI in February to raise its concerns and ask OpenAI to say what it was doing to look into the problem. “OpenAI never responded,” according to Apple.

OpenAI’s first hardware product is expected to arrive next year. In the lawsuit, Apple casts doubt on OpenAI’s ability to ship — at least without relying on Apple’s work. “OpenAI’s nascent hardware business now rests on the shakiest of foundations,” the lawsuit says, “rotten to its core by its illegal reliance on misappropriated trade secrets.”

Update, July 10th : Added statement from OpenAI.

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• Jay Peters

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